


carpe diem

by Sotong_sotong



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: F/M, Fluff and Humor, M/M, TsukiHina, a bit of angst, author taking fucking liberties, background YamaYachi, it's all that second gakuran button headcanon's fault, third years fic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-12-10
Updated: 2015-12-10
Packaged: 2018-05-05 23:08:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,431
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5393705
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sotong_sotong/pseuds/Sotong_sotong
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The trials and tribulations that one Tsukishima Kei faces in the events leading up to spring graduation.</p><p>(aka they're all third years and Tsukishima just wants to give Hinata his second gakuran button but there's a whole bunch of feelings in the way)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. just do it

**Author's Note:**

> A gift for Bunny! We came up with some stupidly cute Tsukihina headcanons on Twitter and my brain decided they were just to good to pass up so here we are. Enjoy, you sinner. Heh.
> 
> (Hit me up there @sotongsardintin 8D)

“I’m gonna do it. I’m gonna do the thing.”

Tsukishima slips off his headphones and squints to take a good look at him. Yamaguchi’s got this air of determination about him –- the type he gets into during matches lately –- and well, that can only mean one thing, can’t it?

Tsukishima’s gazes slides away for a bit as he cuts straight to the point. “You’re confessing to Yachi?”

To his credit, Yamaguchi only colours a little, looking far more proud than flustered upon hearing that. His voice is steady too when he replies. “Yeah! We’re already in our last summer so…umm, might as well go for broke?”

Tsukishima raises his eyebrows. “How very philosophical of you.”

“I know, I know”, Yamaguchi laughs. “I just don’t want any regrets, really. Even if she rejects me, it’s fine because she would have at least heard me out.”

He keeps quiet at that; Tsukishima’s seen the glances that Yamaguchi throws at Yachi when she’s focused on something or someone else.  
(He tries not to superimpose the image of a furtive puppy on the other boy when he does it. He tries, okay?)

What Yamaguchi doesn’t know is that he’s also seen the looks Yachi tries to sneak at Yamaguchi when she thinks nobody is going to notice.

Tsukishima really doesn’t want to get caught up in other people’s romances –- his rack of shoujo manga back home, be damned—- but he’s also not that much of an asshole to not wish for his best friend’s happiness. 

“So go do it. Go for broke. Go get your girl.”

Yamaguchi does splutter at that, cheeks finally going bright red as he stammers something about “she’s NOT my girl” and “that’s not how you wish someone luck, Tsukki”. Then, his face breaks out into the biggest grin ever and Tsukishima belatedly realises he’s unwittingly set himself up.

“Enough of me. Now, when are _you_ gonna get your boy?”

He promptly pulls his headphones over his ears again and cranks up the volume as he stalks forward, doing his best to shut out Yamaguchi’s amusement.

Yamaguchi chuckles behind him. “You of all people should know that turnabout is fairplay, Tsukki.”

(Goddamnit.)

 

*****************************************************************************************************************************

 

The thing is Tsukishima doesn’t want to be left with regrets either when their stint as third years comes to an end, be it in volleyball or personal feelings.

(But the thing is it isn’t exactly in him to be too bothered over something.

Or anything, really.)

He lets the sight of Yamaguchi’s and Yachi’s happy smiles and shyly linked fingers a week after the conversation with the former wash over him. He lets the catcalls their club teammates whistle at the new couple get louder and cheekier. He lets Kageyama rib him about how he’s not surprised Yamaguchi got into a relationship way before Tsukishima.

(But the thing is the Tsukishima back then and now aren’t exactly the same either.)

So he also lets himself take in how wide Hinata’s smile is when the boy comes up to sincerely congratulate the two lovebirds. He lets himself imagine that he too could hold hands with the idiot in front of everyone and get blasted with cheers, whistles and whatnot. He lets himself picture the face Kageyama would make when he realises Tsukishima had beaten him in the relationship department first.

It’s a bit surprising when he finds himself liking those thoughts and a traitorous voice somewhere within whispers _you’d like them more if they were actually real_.

Perhaps it’s instincts from their long friendship or, heck, just pure chance that Yamaguchi looks up from the gaggle of club members surrounding Yachi and him right then. When he shoots Tsukishima a gentle smile, it seems to say _so why not make them real?_

Maybe that’s why one part of him gives and goes _yeah why the fuck not_ and it’s a start.

It’s a gloriously overdue start.


	2. the footprint on the moon

“One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.”

One of Tsukishima’s brows twitches.

“In this case though, isn’t it more like one small step for Tsukishima Kei and one huge leap for Hinata?”

“RYUUUU!! YOU’RE A GENIUS, IT FITS THEIR HEIGHT DIFFERENCE!!!”

“GAHAHAHA! YOU’RE WELCOME!!!”

The following Sunday finds Tsukishima having lunch with two of the most unlikely people he’d ever go to for –- he inwardly winces –- _love advice_ : Nishinoya-senpai and Tanaka-senpai. He can’t remember what madness even led him to call them out in the first place as each passing second is a trial to his public tolerance and sanity.

(Some far off memory clacks and clicks into Hinata’s voice going “Tanaka and Nishinoya-senpai are the coolest people I know!” and—

did. his subconscious. just. fucked him over.) 

Tsukishima’s this close to burying his face onto the meal set in front of him. At this rate, even an ostrich with its head in the ground will have more dignity than him. 

He begins long-sufferingly. “Can we get to the point now?” 

Nishinoya quirks an eyebrow at him as he takes a chomp out of his katsu burger, replying, “The point being you’re hopelessly and irrevocably in feels for Hinata and you would like us – your ever dependable senpais— to coach you in the art of wooing him?” 

That’s the gist of it so Tsukishima nods solemnly; semantics can take a hike for today. Tanaka lets out a loud guffaw and reaches over to thump him on the back. 

“Thought I’d never see the day you’d actually man up to it come!” 

This time both of Tsukishima’s eyebrows shoot up. “Excuse me?” 

Tanaka’s grin widens, dangerously so. “Well, you were always heckling him like a little boy pulling the pigtails of a girl he likes.” 

“Yeah!”, Nishinoya chips in spiritedly. “And you always looked at him on or off the court. You must find Hinata really cute to keep looking that long.” 

There is no abyss deep enough to hide his embarrassment now so he lets the tips of his ears burn but prays his cheeks aren’t on fire. Curse their odd sharpness for unnecessary things. He’s starting to think that this is karma for all the times he got on Kageyama’s wrong side. 

(Not that it’s going to stop him from doing so in the near future anyway.) 

“It’s cool though. I’m kinda honoured you came to us for guidance”, Nishinoya continues. There’s a bit of sauce sticking to his nose. 

Tanaka puts a fist to his chest and goes, “Just be your usual douchebag self, man! Speak what you need to speak and give him space if he needs it!” 

Tsukishima can’t resist asking which girly teen magazine did he get that from and is rewarded with Tanaka’s trademark outbursts. 

“You know”, muses Nishinoya, “I really miss the gakuran we had in Karasuno. I mean, being able to dress casually for class in uni is nice and all but there’s nothing like the gakuran!” 

Tanaka makes all sorts of noises in agreement. It’s weirdly amazing. “It just has such character of its own. A true lone warrior!” 

Nishinoya releases a gusty sigh at that but his eyes twinkle at Tsukishima over what he says next: 

“And the second button tradition! You don’t get that with normal shirts now, do you?” 

The two then break off into some long overenthusiastic tribute to the “unassuming yet widely revered” –- hey, their words, not his –- uniform and he conveniently tunes them out in favour of the idea newly forming in his mind. 

He knows how he’s going to confess to Hinata. 

Lunch finishes fairly quickly after that. He gets up to settle their bill –- he’s the one that invited them out after all –- but Tanaka shushes him and pays for the younger boy’s share in tow. He leaves with a wink over his shoulder, spouting something along the lines of how he’s still a senpai and can afford it since he’s working. Nishinoya lingers though and he looks directly up into Tsukishima’s eyes. All at once, Nishinoya is intense. Serious. 

“Remember to make yourself clear. There’s no use in being half-assed over something or someone you feel strongly about. Otherwise, you’re gonna have a bad time. Carpe diem!” 

He reaches up to give an encouraging slap to Tsukishima’s shoulders and bids him good luck as he turns for the exit. Tsukishima watches him go, quietly stating his thanks. To be honest, he’s a little overwhelmed by that exchange. 

(What’s up with short people and the effect they have on him, really?) 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> aka "the face your feelings or geeet dunked on, Tsukishima" chapter.
> 
> If you squinted and thought you saw a smidge of TsukiNoya on the last few lines, well. Then. Let's keep that for a different verse, a different fic, and a different time. Also for a Tsukihina fic, I haven't actually made them interact much yet, have I? I'll...I'll correct that. After making Tsukki work for it, yeah? >:^)))


	3. they have it easy

It’s been a month since he met up with Tanaka and Nishinoya; a month of games, of listening to his teammates fantasise aloud about Nationals, of smelling constantly present Salonpas, and of feeling the air swirl whenever Hinata jumps to spike.

The month ends with them making it to Nationals.

But the month also ends with them getting knocked out right in the second round.

(He shuts down the part of him that sneers _why make the effort to go so far only to lose so fast_.

He’d like to think he’s beyond that now.)

In its wake, Tsukishima is left to face looming university entrance exams and spring graduation, both sore reminders that there’s a world beyond volleyball, beyond the dull ache of losing. Yet, the bitter pang in his heart doesn’t seem to take the memo. He wants to play more. He still wants to watch Hinata fly above the net and land a point. He still thinks he can hear the cheers from their teammates and the crowd in the stands if he tries hard enough. Most of all, Tsukishima still needs to feel the ball in his hands.

Three years make some things seem so permanent when in truth, they’re just like passing dreams.

He rolls to one side of his bed and grabs a manga from the rack beside it, idly flipping through it for some kind of distraction. It’s one of the many shoujo titles he’s secretly hoarded since junior high, the cover garish pink and decorated with sparkles and roses no less. In between the arcs where the heroine laments her supposedly one-sided love and the final confession scene, Tsukishima comes to a sickening conclusion.

Why the hell do shoujo manga characters have it so easy?

Despite the rivals and ever twisting plot, the protagonist almost always ends up with their love interest, as if the characters’ lives were one straight line blessed with –- or doomed to? –- certain happiness. Which, frankly, is bullshit. Life’s never that smooth; if it was, he’d be kissing Hinata right now.

(There’s Yamaguchi and Yachi though, so maybe there are exceptions after all.)

Unrealistic as they are, something in Tsukishima persists in enjoying shoujo manga. Perhaps it’s the hope they give him or the fantasies he can linger in; perhaps he’s a romantic sap unexpectedly at heart but Tsukishima doesn’t bother to ponder that train of thought. He’s not ready for some frightening new self-epiphanies.

It’s Friday and the night’s still young; instead, Tsukishima sleeps.

 

************************************************************************************************************************************************************

 

He opens his eyes to the sensation of falling.

And discovers that everywhere’s dark and it’s really him that’s falling into said darkness. His lower half feels unusually airy and as he looks down, he’s greeted by the sight of himself in a puffy cheery blue dress. 

The hem only comes up to his knees. By Murphy’s Law, his modesty is preserved by a frilly pannier underneath.

Tsukishima closes his eyes.

Tsukishima opens his eyes once again.

Nothing changes.

(He thinks _this is how you break a man_.)

Things are loopy enough but they get _worse_ when he starts hearing “Bwah!” and “Gehh!!” out of nowhere because he knows of only one person who’d say those; it’s impossible for him to be here—---

A shock of orange hair pops into view and along with it comes Hinata.

Fine. Not so impossible then. 

Something’s off though; Hinata’s dressed in a red waistcoat and white formal pants with this huge pocket watch chained to his belt loops, but these details pale in comparison to the fluffy bunny ears sporting his head.

Tsukishima would be lying to himself if he said he didn’t find the other boy cute. Then again, when is Hinata ever not cute?

The boy somehow doesn’t seem to notice Tsukishima. He observes him reaching for the watch to check the time and the reaction that follows is definitely classic Hinata. 

“BWAHHHH!!! I’m gonna be late! So, so late!!”

Without warning, the speed of their fall increases incredibly. It is with a hard bump that Tsukishima finds land –- his skirt isn’t a parachute thank you very much –- and even then, it’s just a wide expanse of brown court. Hinata unsurprisingly springs up as if the fall was nothing and he finally catches sight of Tsukishima, grimacing immediately. “Gehh! What are you doing here?! And why are you in that dress…?”

The answer’s painfully obvious, isn’t it? “Because we’re in a dream, idiot. My dream.”

Hinata tilts his head to the side. “You mean, it’s your dream to wear a dress?”

But of course he’s just as painfully dense. Tsukishima knows the meaning of being patient but its merits are beginning to elude him. “Why would I— you know what, forget it. You’d better not peek up my skirt, what with how short you are.”

The boy flushes and squawks. Tsukishima just smirks back at him. Hinata huffs, turns and trudges away.

“Where are you going?”

“Somewhere. As long as I’m not late. WHICHIACTUALLYAMBYETSUKISHIMA!!”

As he speeds off, Hinata glances back and sticks his tongue out at him. Tsukishima doesn’t deign to respond. In fact, he’s weighing the odds of waking up anytime soon against the dream prolonging itself. But as shitty situations are apt to go, there is no such thing as rest for the wicked.

“Did you see that?”

“See loverboy leave his fair maiden? Oh yes, I did.”

Tsukishima thinks of ostriches. He thinks of dignity and ostriches and a place to hide his face because he _knows_ those voices all too well.

Turning around to check the source of it only confirms his gloom; behind him stands a volleyball net supported by two posts. One post has a black cat sprawled respectfully on it while a grey owl perches on the other.

There’s this weird tuft of dark hair on the cat’s head.

The owl just has a mess of vertical feathers on its.

Both seem to leer at him.

“Oya?”

“Oya oya oya~?”

( _Fuck that, this is how you break a man and then leave him out high and dry in salt_ none too helpfully speaks his long gone compassion.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Is2g I was sober when I wrote this chapter. I wrote it at 10pm (not 4am god bless) and the only kind of drunk I'd be then is drunk on Oikawa and his fucking glasses.
> 
> Hey, hey, blonde hair, blue dress, Tsukki makes a wonderful Alice, doesn't he? *goes to die in a dump like the trash I am* Also let's give some finger guns up for third gym cameos soon!
> 
> And I don't think you've read Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun yet, Tsukishima. You really should soon. Then, you'd know of the hardships coming your way soon. Nyeh.


End file.
